A Greek triad of wine, salad and sea. The wind in Rhodes will keep all our customers happy. Thanks to the stable thermal-winds, Fanes has become known as the Tarifa of the East. At this small kite station under German management be prepared for action as the swells in Fanes can get up to two metres high!
The waves of Rhodes are amazing. The Greeks who have a mythological explanation for everything jokingly tell astonished riders, “When the Colossus of Rhodes fell into the seas, there was a small earthquake and the shock waves are still hitting the beach of Fanes! A less romantic explanation for the formation of waves here is the westerly winds which push the ink-blue water into the strait between Rhodes and the Turkish mainland whilst in the East of this Greek island, the air shimmers in the midday heat and the Mediterranean Sea lays dormant. However, in the village of Fanes, approximately 15 km from the airport, along the west coast, the branches of the olive trees sway. Whereas the Aegean islands to the North benefit mostly from the summer meltemi winds, the island of Rhodes benefits from strong thermal winds.
Across the sea lies the Turkish mainland with its steep mountain range and it is here that the hot air rises over the slopes and draws in cooler air over the sea, making a stove pope in which the air flows faster. Such a vacuum effect can only result in strong on-shore winds – which means that turkey, not normally known for its good deeds towards the Greeks, does us a favour by producing these fantastic winds which “air-condition” our island!
Across the sea lies the Turkish mainland with its steep mountain range and it is here that the hot air rises over the slopes and draws in cooler air over the sea, making a stove pope in which the air flows faster. Such a vacuum effect can only result in strong on-shore winds – which means that turkey, not normally known for its good deeds towards the Greeks, does us a favour by producing these fantastic winds which „air-condition” our island! The wind in the holiday village of Fanes is at an angle of ten to forty-five degrees to the shore. Early in the morning hours the breeze starts to get up. Lulling at around noon from a short siesta only to appear again at around 14:00 for the rest of the afternnon. Dirk Derksen, the station manager and head kitesurf instructor warns all kiteers using large kites to take precautions as „the summer wind can get up to eight Beaufort strong”.
This in itself is a good enough reason to visit “Air-Riders Fanes” but another bonus is the annual wind period in Rhodes which differs radically from the other Aegean islands. Kitesurf pro Dirk Derksen tells us that “in April Rhodes is 50% more likely to experience strong winds than other neighbouring islands and by May, the rate increases to 60% and in June by as much as 70%. The best two months are July and August in the high season. Nevertheless, the month of September can be as good as June but October can be unpredictable and there’s the chance of rain.
During the winter months, when Rhodes belongs once again to the Greeks, thunder storms and choppy seas are common. However, in the summer the shore break is harmless and kiters can ride the swells (which don’t usually break) with ease as though they are riding a roller-coaster!
Even on calm days we wouldn’t recommend that kiters abandon their post as there’s always the chance that the wind will get up later in the day!! But if those “kitesurfing widows” insist then there’s plenty to see on the island and as an alternative you could spend a day wandering around the Medieval Old Town of Rhodes or even take a trip across to the East coast to visit the traditional picture postcard village of Lindos and its ancient Acropolis. A drive to Prasonissi on the southwestern tip of the island could be fun, as excellent kitesurfing conditions prevail but don’t attempt to have a session there as you will be fighting for a spot and the “sardine” effect can be dangerous.
Good to know:
Air Travel: From Germany ( two and a half hour flight) you can find cheap ticket deals with Condor amongst others and from the UK (four hour flight) you can pick up cheap flight only deals with Ryanair, Easyjet and many other charter airlines.
KITESPOT: 15 km from the airport. Quiet sandy beach with some shingle, 30 metres wide and 600 metres long. The station is located in front of the Delfini hotel which is about 400 metres from the small harbour of Fanes. Facilities include a storage rooms, a shower, toilet and beautiful secluded gardens with a traditional Greek restaurant. There are also some beach beds and umbrellas available. The spot has an average shore surf during high winds and is suitable for all skill levels.
GRIEKENLAND | Fanes RhodosErvaring pure Griekenland - luxe of low budget!Slechts 12 km van de luchthaven en op 25 km van Rhodos-stad ligt het kleine vissersdorp van Fanes. Een beetje slaperig, een beetje in eerste instantie degenen die rust en comfort Grieks is het juiste adres! Langs de hoofdweg zijn opgebouwd door de jaren heen, diverse winkels, cafes en bars, zodat zelfs een beetje variatie in de avond ... de meeste hat.Aber voel me zo comfortabel in uw verblijf, dat na een ausgepowerten kite dag op het water niet ver van "thuis" zou zijn. Wie maar een van de feestvierders, schommels, noch in een bus of pak een bromfiets en dan beweegt in de richting van de stad Rhodos, waar u kunt genieten van de vele restaurants, bars en clubs "downtown"! Zelfs voor degenen die niet surfen of kite Rhodos een divers en gevarieerd animatieprogramma. Of culturele uitstapjes naar Lindos op Rhodos oude stad, om uitstapjes te bewonderen als Prasonisi of de fantastische natuur van Rhodos, iedereen kan een vakantie te vinden.
